CDAC to help more low-income families

By Claire Huang, Channel NewsAsia, 22 Apr 2012

From May, self-help group Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC) will raise its income eligibility criteria to help the bottom 20 per cent of the Chinese community.

CDAC is expected to set aside another S$600,000 to help an additional 1,000 low-income families.

One of those set to benefit is lorry driver Ho Chun Chew, who makes about S$3,000 a month.

Mr Ho's wife is a homemaker and they have two children.

Despite his financial burden, the 51 year old has been trying to make ends meet without any assistance.

But from next month, CDAC will make it easier for workers -- who are struggling to support their families on one salary -- to apply for financial help.

The income ceiling for tuition, co-curricular activity and family assistance schemes will be raised from S$2,700 to S$3,000.

Those with a per capita income of less than S$800 can also apply for these financial assistance, up from the previous S$700.

With the revised income criteria, Mr Ho no longer has to worry about his children's tuition fees.

He can also upgrade his job proficiency through the skills training award scheme.

"With a Class 5 driving licence, I can drive bigger vehicles. This could help me handle the bigger company trucks....which means I could get promoted and earn more. Previously, it would cost me nearly S$1,000 to get this licence," Mr Ho said.

Mr Ho can get up to 95 per cent course subsidies under the skills training award scheme.

CDAC Community Outreach & Co-ownership chair Grace Fu said: "CDAC wants to be relevant to the Chinese community so we will review schemes and income criteria from time to time.

"And this year, after reviewing the salary statistics, we felt that to continue to be relevant, we'd like to help one in five families and therefore, we've set a higher income ceiling for family as well as per capita to be relevant to our recipients."

The revised income ceiling will help CDAC reach out to a total of 65,000 beneficiaries.

Four hundred needy students are also expected to receive higher subsidies for tuition and enrichment programmes.